Golfers place sixth at first conference meet

By Michael Jacobson

The Bulldogs boys' golf team opened their 2006 season by placing sixth, out of eight teams, in their first conference meet on Monday, April 10. The meet was held at the Wapicada Country Club in St. Cloud - hosted by St. Cloud Cathedral - with Melrose (173) just edging the Dogs (174) for fifth, with Albany (175) another stroke back.

The West Central Conference North added two teams for golf this spring: Minnewaska and New London-Spicer. Minnewaska, led by medalist Evan Peters' 37, edged Cathedral for the first meet win 157-159. New London-Spicer was third at 160.

The Dogs were led by senior Justin Bork and ninth grader Zach Fuchs, who tied for eight with rounds of 40. Seven players at the meet shot in the 30s in the warm conditions last week: one 37, one 38, and five 39s. Another eighth players shot 40s, including Bork and Fuchs.

Senior Ross Barten was next for the Dogs with a round of 45, and ninth grader Jeremy Schmidt completed the Dogs' team score with a round of 49.

This week, the Dogs will travel to Melrose for a conference meet on Thursday, April 20. They will play in a nonconference tournament at Minnewaska on Saturday morning.

Next week, the Dogs will host their conference meet on Tuesday, April 25, at Koronis Hills, with the meet starting at 4:30 p.m.

Sauk Centre meet
The Dogs slipped to eighth, despite scoring only two strokes more than at the opening meet, at a conference meet at Sauk Centre on Tuesday, April 11.

The Dogs shot 176 at Sauk Centre, only two more than the day before at St. Cloud Cathedral, but the two teams they beat on Monday - Albany and Sauk Centre - showed dramatic improvements. Albany dropped from a 175 to a 167, moving from seventh to fourth. And Sauk Centre, playing at home, dropped from last with a 192 to seventh with a 173.

St. Cloud Cathedral won the meet and moved into a tie with Minnewaska for the lead in the WCC North race. The Crusaders and the Lakers have each finished first and second so far in two conference meets. New London-Spicer has finished third at each to stand three points back in the conference race.